More on the History of the Pelham Bridge Hotel that Burned Down on October 28, 1882

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On the evening of Tuesday, October 13, 1874, the Democrat delegates of the First Assembly District were in their places ready to begin their annual convention at Pelham Bridge Hotel to nominate a candidate for member of Assembly to represent the district during the upcoming year.  Though the Pelham Bridge Hotel was lovely and convenient, there was the annoyance of the notorious hotel bar that was the scene of so many fights and shocking incidents.  That night, it turned out, there was another such incident.

 The convention was called to order and two men were nominated to serve as Chair of the meeting.  That was as far as the meeting got.  "[S]everal outsiders who were under the influence of bad liquor" began heckling and interfering with the meeting.  Pelham Bridge Hotel was "far away from the protection of any police."  Thus, the delegates rose to resist the disturbance and "a regular melee ensued."  It seemed like something out of an old western as a fight broke out in the saloon and cowboys began fighting each other and smashing all the furniture in sight, finally drawing their revolvers on each other.

According to one account:  "Furniture and other articles were smashed, revolvers were drawn, and a hasty retreat through the windows was resorted to by many."  Having the edge in numbers, the delegates finally "overpowered and subdued" the "outsiders" so that the convention could proceed.

It was just another evening in the life of the little Pelham Bridge Hotel.

I have written about the hotel before.  See Mon., Aug. 01, 2016:  Pelham Bridge Hotel Used by Col. Delancey Astor Kane's Pelham Coach Burned Down in 1882.  Today's Historic Pelham article provides additional information regarding the history of the once-famous (some would say infamous) Pelham Bridge Hotel.  

By the time of the melee during the Democrats' annual convention at Pelham Bridge Hotel in 1874, the hotel had become a popular location for political meetings.  It offered not only a convenient location, but also the sustenance of strong drink to fuel spirited political debates. 

The Pelham Bridge Hotel was built in about the early 1850s.  It stood on the side of the road at the southern end of Pelham Bridge.  By 1882, the hotel complex included two buildings, one on each side of the road at the southern end of the bridge.

The first proprietor of the Pelham Bridge Hotel was a man named Larry Fowler.  Fowler was succeeded by George P. Arcularius who ran the hotel for a number of years.  In 1880, the owner of the hotel property offered it for lease to a new proprietor.  That new proprietor was Robert S. Spurge who operated the hotel until it burned down on October 28, 1882. 


Spurge reinvigorated the aging hotel.  He repaired it and furnished it lavishly.  He arranged for Colonel Delancey Kane to stop his Pelham "Tally Ho" coach at the hotel on its way from the Hotel Brunswick in New York City to New Rochelle (its terminus in 1881 and 1882). 


Only weeks before the Pelham Bridge Hotel burned to the ground, Spurge invested in construction of a new causeway that extended one hundred feet into the waters of Eastchester Bay so that boats could access his establishment even at low tide.  Ever the entrepreneur, Spurge also made the causeway available to fishermen "to enjoy themselves without rowing out into the bay."  Such sportsmen, of course, would need to avail themselves of strong refreshments after a hard day of angling.
A terrible fire, about which I have written before, burned down the hotel in the early morning hours of October 28, 1882.  Though the cause of the fire was never determined, it was believed to have begun in the kitchen of the hotel.
Care must be taken when researching the history of Pelham Bridge Hotel.  Although the one that burned on October 28, 1882 was named the Pelham Bridge Hotel, there were other hotels located at Pelham Bridge over the years.  Occasionally, references to other such hotels as "Pelham Bridge Hotel" were merely shorthand for the fact that it was a hotel located at Pelham Bridge.  Indeed, in the years after the actual Pelham Bridge Hotel burned, the Grand View Hotel managed by William John Elliott frequently was referenced as the "Pelham Bridge Hotel."

 Detail from Engraving Published in 1884 Showing Old Iron Pelham Bridge

Where David Blizzard and Augustus Lawrence Served as Bridge Keepers.

Source:  "PELHAM PARK, NEW YORK. -- DRAWN BY CHARLES GRAHAM.", Harper's

Weekly, Vol. XXVIII, No. 1442, 1884, pp. 514 & 521. Note that the iron arches of the bridge

are visible in the distance on the right edge of the image.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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"POLITICAL ITEMS. . . .

The Democratic Assembly Convention of this district will meet at the Central Hotel, White Plains, next Tuesday.

The Democratic Assembly Convention of the First District will meet on the same day at Pelham Bridge Hotel.  The convention will also elect eight delegates to the congressional convention. . . ."

Source:  POLITICAL ITEMS, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Oct. 9, 1874, p. 1, col. 2.

"FIRST ASSEMBLY DISTRICT.

The delegates from the city of Yonkers, the town of Westchester, and the three old towns of West Farms, Kingsbridge, and Morrisania, (now constituting the 23rd and 24th wards of the city,) to the convention called to nominate a candidate for member of assembly met at Pelham Bridge Hotel Tuesday, and had rather a stirring time, in consequence of the presence of several outsiders who were under the influence of bad liquor, and of the unfortunate circumstance that they were far away from the protection of any policy.

Mr. Wm. Havens, of Westchester, called the meeting to order, and the names of Mr. Hugh Lunny and Mr. Abraham S. Radcliffe were proposed for Chairman of the convention.  Then the disturbance was commenced by outsiders, and was resisted by the delegates, so that a regular melee ensued.  Furniture and other articles were smashed, revolvers were drawn, and a hasty retreat through the windows was resorted to by many.  The outsiders were finally overpowered and subdued, so that the business of the convention was proceeded with, and Mr. Lunny was elected Chairman.  From the 23d and 24th wards of the city of New York, and two wards of the city of Yonkers, there were two sets of delegates, the respective claims of which to seats in the convention were adjusted by a committee appointed for that purpose, and the following were admitted.

Twenty-third Ward -- Charles Monk, Michael Lennon, John F. Rice, James Reilley, John Robertson, John Mooney, P. Kane, D. Malone, T. Conners, Lawrence Green, Lawrence Dacy, Pat O'Hare, Wm. Balmer, Wm. Lennehan.

Twenty-fourth Ward -- John Bussing, P. McCarthy, M. E. Reilley, Fred Meyer, Charles Clark, B. B. Valentinie, Chris Keenan, Pat Gormly, J. Coffin, Wm. Martin.

Westchester -- Hugh Lunny, Pat. J. Kellett, Thomas Bible, Thomas O'Brien, W. H. Waters.

Yonkers -- John Lacy, Thomas Eigan, John Kennedy, G. W. Rau, Jacob Reid, John McCall, Michael Welsh, J.J. Widman E. Whalon, Robert Neville, Pat Curran, John McGowan, M. Mooney. 

The names of Hon. J. C. Courter and Dennis R. Shiel were proposed as candidates for member of Assembly.

It was stated by some of the friends of Mr. Courter that he did not desire the nomination, and on taking the first ballot Mr. Shield received 30 of the 43 votes cast, whereupon his nomination, and on taking the first ballot Mr. Shield received 30 of the 43 votes cast, whereupon his nomination was declared unanimous, and the nominated appropriately acknowledged the compliment.

The following persons were chosen delegates to the Congressional Convention:  Charles Monks and John Rogge of Morrisania; M. E. Reilley and B. B. Valentine of West Farms; Patrick Gormley, of Kingsbridge; Hugh Lunny, of Westchester; Thomas Eagan, and Peter U. Fowler of Yonkers."

Source:  FIRST ASSEMBLY DISTRICT, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Oct. 16, 1874, p. 2, col. 1.  

"LOCAL NEWS. . . .

Mr. R. S. Spurge, the well-known and hospitable host of the Pelham Bridge Hotel, has built a new causeway, extending 100 feet into the water; and making his float accessible for boats at the lowest tide.  It also enables fishermen to enjoy themselves without rowing out into the bay. . . ."

Source:  LOCAL NEWS, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Sep. 8, 1882, p. 3, col. 1.


"CITY ISLAND AND PELHAM.

At two o'clock last Saturday morning, the old Pelham Bridge Hotel comprising two buildings, one on each side of the road at the southern end of Pelham Bridge was burned to the ground.  Thirty years ago, Larry Fowler became landlord.  After Fowler, Geo. P. Arcularius ran the house for a number of years.  Recently, R. S. Spurge has kept the place.  Col. Delancey Kane's Tally-ho coach always stopped at the inn, when running to New Rochelle.  The cause of the fire is unknown.  The loss is $15,000.  Mr. Spurge's principal loss is on the furniture on which there was but a small amount of insurance. . . ."

Source:  CITY ISLAND AND PELHAM, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Nov. 3, 1882, p. 3, col. 3.  

"A Landmark Removed. 

As briefly stated in our last issue, at 4 o'clock on Saturday morning last, the old Pelham Bridge Hotel, at Pelham Bridge, was burned to the gournd.  Thirty years ago Larry Fowler became landlord.  The house was then in its glory.  Not a driving party thought of going by without stopping.  Commodore Vanderbilt always stopped to have his horses watered, and all the sporting men of New York, New Rochelle and throughout Westchester County, occasionally passed a merry evening there.  It was on the only good drive from the city.  The road began at Corporal Thompson's place, which was a frame building, where the Fifth Avenue Hotel now stands, and cutting diagonally across Madison Square Garden to Harlem Bridge, and so along to the inn, six miles beyond.  After Fowler, Harry Arcularius ran the house for a number of years.  Last spring, R. S. Spurge, who formerly ran the Huguenot Hotel of this village, leased the hotel and premises now burned, and furnished and kept the same in magnificent style.  Col. De Lancy [sic] Kane's Tallyho coach always stopped at the inn when running to New Rochelle.  Mr. Spurge was in the city at the time of the fire.  It is thought that the fire broke out in the kitchen.  The loss is supposed to be between $10,000 and $15,000.  William Layton was the owner." 

Source:  A Landmark Removed, The New Rochelle Pioneer, Nov. 4, 1882, p. 3, col. 3.

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Pelham Bridge Hotel Used by Col. Delancey Astor Kane's Pelham Coach Burned Down in 1882

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Beginning in the mid-19th century, a surprisingly large number of small hotels sprang up near Pelham Bridge where the Hutchinson River empties into Eastchester Bay and Long Island Sound.  Indeed, a map published in 1868 shows three hotels near the south end of the Pelham Bridge not far from the Lorillard Cottage (which shortly thereafter was converted to the Arcularius Hotel).  The hotels included Charles Freeman's, David Blizzard's (including his boat rental facility), and the Lawrence Hotel.  

For more than forty years the proprietors of these and various additional hotels at the bridge changed frequently.  To make matters worse, newspapers were sloppy in distinguishing among the various hotels, choosing instead to refer to most of the hotels as "Pelham Bridge Hotel."  Furthermore, research has revealed that the proprietors often did not own the hotels and, indeed, moved from hotel to hotel as they changed jobs.  Thus, it is particularly difficult to identify specific buildings when news accounts reference merely the "Pelham Bridge Hotel" or the "Hotel at Pelham Bridge."

Detail From 1868 Map Showing Hotels Near Lorillard

Cottage at the Southern End of Pelham Bridge.  Source:

"Town of Westchester, Westchester Co., N.Y." in Beers, F.W.,

Atlas of New York and Vicinity from Actual Surveys by and

Under the Direction of F.W. Beers, p. 14 (NY, NY:  Beers, Ellis

& Soule, 1868).  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog provides a good example of the difficulty in identifying a specific building.  It describes a terrible fire in 1882 that destroyed a historic hotel at Pelham Bridge owned by Mrs. S. E. Layton and leased and managed by the proprietor, Robert S. Spurge.  At first blush, a local news account would seem to suggest that the hotel was the old Arcularius Hotel located in the former Lorillard Cottage, particularly since the news account states that at one time Harry Arcularius operated the place and Colonel Delancey Kane always stopped his Tally Ho coach to Pelham at the hotel.  The old Lorillard Cottage, however, did not burn in 1882.  It survived until later.  (Of course, when the Tally Ho stopped at the Arcularius Hotel, it was within a few feet of a number of other hotels that served the area known as a resort getaway for New York City residents.)

In the early morning hours of October 28, 1882, a historic hotel called "the old Pelham Bridge Hotel" at Pelham Bridge burned to the ground.  According to one account, the structure had been used as a hotel since about 1852 when it was owned by Larry Fowler.  At the time, the hotel was perfectly located on what was considered to be one of the most beautiful spots along one of the most beautiful roads leading from New York City to the east.  According to one news report:

"Not a driving party thought of going by without stopping.  Commodore Vanderbilt always stopped to have his horses watered, and all the sporting men of New York, New Rochelle and throughout Westchester County, occasionally passed a merry evening there.  It was on the only good drive from the city.  The road began at Corporal Thompson's place, which was a frame building, where the Fifth Avenue Hotel now stands, and cutting diagonally across Madison Square Garden to Harlem Bridge, and so along to the inn, six miles beyond."

Robert Spurge was a friend of Colonel Delancey Kane.  For a while, Spurge operated the Huguenot Hotel on Main Street in New Rochelle.  During much of that time, Col. Kane ran his Pelham Coach to the Huguenot Hotel in New Rochelle.  Spurge, however, moved from the Huguenot Hotel to operate a hotel at Pelham Bridge.  When the new coaching season began on May 1, 1882, Col. Delancey Kane used Spurge's Hotel at Pelham Bridge as the terminus of his coaching route.

One coaching account published in 1882 contained a brief description of the interior of Spurge's Hotel.  It said:

"[T]he party are marshalled by Landlord Spurge into the dining room. What a quaint bit of a room it is! -- the room of all rooms for a coaching party. There are odd old pictures on the walls; curious and antique looking pieces of furniture are scattered around; grotesque, old-fashioned plates and bowls are tucked in racks and shelves. There are stuffed birds, with legends hitched to them, and a general flavor of homely, sociable ease about it all that eminently befits the occasion. Dinner is served. And such a dinner! Nothing with foreign names and tastes. Not a bit of it. Robust, hearty fare fit for the road and roadsters. Rare, juicy beef, fowl done to a nicety, mellow strawberries and cream, with such an atmosphere and such surroundings as would make a glutton of the veriest dyspeptic."

Source:  AGAIN ON THE ROAD -- The Tally-Ho's First Trip Through the Freshening Country, N.Y. Herald, May 2, 1882, Quadruple Sheet, p. 10, cols. 1-2.

Clearly Spurge's Hotel was magnificently furnished.  It was thought that the fire began in the hotel kitchen.  There were no organized fire fighting units in any of the nearby communities at the time.  The hotel and its furnishings were a total loss.  

Spurge owned the furnishings, but leased the structure from Mrs. S. E. Layton, wife of William Layton.  The Laytons maintained three fire insurance policies on the structure aggregating for total coverage of $6,300.  That entire amount was paid to Mrs. Layton by the three insurers in a matter of weeks, before mid-December.  About a month later, Robert S. Spurge collected the full amount of insurance on his personal property and hotel furniture lost in the October 28 fire.  He received $4,000.  

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Below is the text of a series of articles describing the fire at Spurge's Hotel at Pelham Bridge on October 28, 1882.  Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"WESTCHESTER. . . 

Col. Kane's Tally Ho began making regular daily trips between New York and Pelham Bridge on Monday last.  The coach arrives at Spurge's hotel on the South side of the bridge, every day at twelve o'clock. . . ."

Source:  WESTCHESTER, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], May 5, 1882, Vol. XIII, No. 659, p. 3, cols. 2-3.   

"Spurge's Pelham Bridge hotel was burned down at 4.30 o'clock this morning.  Loss, $10,000.  Insured."

Source:  [Untitled], The New Rochelle Pioneer, Oct. 28, 1882, p. 3, col. 5.  

"Spurges' Hotel at Pelham Bridge, Westchester County, was totally destroyed by fire at 2 o'clock this morning.  The extent of the loss is not ascertained."

Source:  [Untitled], The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Oct. 28, 1882, p. 4, col. 2.  

"A Landmark Removed.

As briefly stated in our last issue, at 4 o'clock on Saturday morning last, the old Pelham Bridge Hotel, at Pelham Bridge, was burned to the gournd.  Thirty years ago Larry Fowler became landlord.  The house was then in its glory.  Not a driving party thought of going by without stopping.  Commodore Vanderbilt always stopped to have his horses watered, and all the sporting men of New York, New Rochelle and throughout Westchester County, occasionally passed a merry evening there.  It was on the only good drive from the city.  The road began at Corporal Thompson's place, which was a frame building, where the Fifth Avenue Hotel now stands, and cutting diagonally across Madison Square Garden to Harlem Bridge, and so along to the inn, six miles beyond.  After Fowler, Harry Arcularius ran the house for a number of years.  Last spring, R. S. Spurge, who formerly ran the Huguenot Hotel of this village, leased the hotel and premises now burned, and furnished and kept the same in magnificent style.  Col. De Lancy [sic] Kane's Tallyho coach always stopped at the inn when running to New Rochelle.  Mr. Spurge was in the city at the time of the fire.  It is thought that the fire broke out in the kitchen.  The loss is supposed to be between $10,000 and $15,000.  William Layton was the owner."

Source:  A Landmark Removed, The New Rochelle Pioneer, Nov. 4, 1882, p. 3, col. 3.  

"PROMPT AND SATISFACTORY SETTLEMENT.

The Pelham Bridge Hotel owned by Mrs. S. E. Layton was totally consumed by fire on the 28th day of October 1882.  There were three policies of insurance on the hotel and saloon aggregating $6,300.  This amount was distributed between the Westchester, the Home and the Pacific Fire insurance companies.  Charles H. Coe, agent for Mrs Layton has within two weeks from time of presenting his proof of loss received the entire amount from the companies."

Source:  PROMPT AND SATISFACTORY SETTLEMENT, The New Rochelle Pioneer, Dec. 16, 1882, p. 3, col. 4.  

"Paid for His Furniture.

The full amount of insurance on personal property and Hotel furniture at Pelham Bridge Hotel has been collected and paid over to Mr. Robert S. Spurge, through his counsel C. E. Kene, one day this week.  The amount was $4000."

Source:  Paid for His Furniture, The New Rochelle Pioneer, Jan. 13, 1883, p. 3, col. 5.  

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Below is a list of articles and blog postings that I previously have posted regarding the subject of "Coaching to Pelham."  

Bell, Blake A., Col. Delancey Kane and "The Pelham Coach" (Sep. 2003).

Thu., Jul. 28, 2016:  The Chicago Tribune Lampooned Coaching to Pelham in 1884.

Wed., Jul. 30, 2014:  Yet Another Attempt in 1894 to Resurrect the Glory Days of Coaching to Pelham.  

Tue., Jul. 29, 2014:  Wonderful Description of Coaching to Pelham on the Tally-Ho's First Trip of the Season on May 1, 1882.

Wed., Apr. 14, 2010:  Col. Delancey Kane Changes the Timing and Route of The Pelham Coach in 1876.

Tue., Sep. 08, 2009:  1877 Advertisement with Timetable for the Tally Ho Coach to Pelham.

Mon., Mar. 23, 2009:  The Greyhound and the Tantivy-- The Four-in-Hand Coaches that Succeeded Col. Delancey Kane's "Tally-Ho" to Pelham.

Fri., Jan. 16, 2009: The Final Trip of the First Season of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" in 1876.

Thu., Jan. 15, 2009:  The First Trip of Col. Delancey Kane's "New-Rochelle and Pelham Four-in-Hand Coach Line" on May 1, 1876.

Thu., Mar. 06, 2008:  Auctioning the Tantivy's Horses at the Close of the 1886 Coaching Season.

Wed., Mar. 05, 2008:  Coaching to Pelham: The Tantivy Has an Accident on its Way to Pelham in 1886.  

Thu., Jan. 24, 2008:  An Account of the First Trip of Colonel Delancey Kane's Tally-Ho to Open the 1880 Coaching Season.

Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008: Brief "History of Coaching" Published in 1891 Shows Ties of Sport to Pelham, New York

Thursday, August 3, 2006: Images of Colonel Delancey Kane and His "Pelham Coach" Published in 1878.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005: Taunting the Tantivy Coach on its Way to Pelham: 1886.

Wednesday, July 27, 2005: 1882 Engraving Shows Opening of Coaching Season From Hotel Brunswick to Pelham Bridge.

Thu., Jun. 09, 2005:  Coaching to Pelham: Colonel Delancey Astor Kane Did Not Operate the Only Coach to Pelham.

Fri., Feb. 11, 2005:  Col. Delancey Kane's "Pelham Coach", Also Known as The Tally-Ho, Is Located.


Bell, Blake A., Col. Delancey Kane and "The Pelham Coach", The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XII, No. 38, Sept. 26, 2003, p. 1, col. 1.

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